श्री कृष्ण के कर्म,भक्ति और ज्ञान योग : सरल परिचय

गीता में श्री कृष्ण

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''What is Karma yoga?
A person situated in Karma yoga executes one's prescribed duties. These duties are as prescribed by the Varnashrama system created By Krishna through the Vedas. According to one's ability and inclination, a person may acquires a particular varna. He may become a Brahaman (teacher, guide), Ksatriya (administrator, warrior), Vaishya (merchant, farmer) or Sudra (worker). According to his situation he lives in one of the four ashrams: Brahamacari (student), Grahastha (married), Vanaprastha (retired) and Sannyasa (detached). The eight fold Varnashram system is created to allow one to be aware of his prescribed duties and execute them properly. It is important to note here is that the BG stresses that a varna is acquired by one's ability and inclination, never by birth. So in the BG, there is no support of the "caste-system" prevalent in India. The Varnashram system appears naturally in all societies over the world.

Performing prescribed duties will earn a person much pious credit, but it will also continue to bind him to the material world. So Karma can be "sakarma" (done in anticipation of enjoying its fruits) or "nishkarma" (detached from the results). In both cases a person is attached to performing the activity. However, when a person performs activities only for the pleasure of the Lord, he has reached the stage of Bhakti. For instance Sadhna (japa, arati, kirtan) are activities performed with no material motives, simply to glorify or remember the Lord. Thus Karma yoga can be used to elevate one self to the position of Bhakti yoga by first performing prescribed activities, then renouncing the fruits of the activities to Krishna and finally by renouncing the activity in itself to Krishna.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''What is Bhakti yoga?
The path of devotion is described as the most confidential path back to Godhead. It is described as the "elevator" approach to Krishna as opposed to all the other "staircase" paths. The essence of the Bhakti yoga is summarized by Sri Krishna in Chapter 9, Verse 34, as follows: "Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me."

This verse, often considered to be the summary verse of the entire BG, contains the essence of the existence of a spirit soul. In the material world, trapped in the illusory sense of identifying with the body and its extensions, a spirit soul remains forever bewildered by the duality of existence. However by simply surrendering to Krishna, understanding Him to be the original, primeval cause of all causes and thus worshipping Him without any desires of material benefit, one can easily go back to Him.

Bhakti yoga does not mean inactivity. Indeed a bhakta is most active, for he sees all his activities now in relation to the Supreme. But he is detached from the activity and the fruits of the activity, neither happy in success nor distressed in failure, understanding that all this is ultimately for Krishna and coming from Him only.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''What is Jnana yoga?
In the Jnana section Krishna elaborates about the five factors of existence: Isavara (God), Jivatma (Soul), Kala (Time), Karma (actions) and Prakriti (Nature). He explains that while Kala, Prakriti, Jiva and Isavara are eternal, Karama is not. As long as one is involved in fruitive activities, the cycle of Karma, performed in one of the three modes of material Nature (goodness, passion, ignorance) is binding. For every action, good or bad, there is a reaction. This cycle can only be broken by performing devotional service, since that does not have any reactions, good or bad. In this stage the person transcends the material plane of existence and enters into the spiritual realm.

When Krishna explains the path of spiritual advancement by knowledge, Arjuna gets confused between the Karma (action) and Jnana (inaction). Krishna explains that one must strive for activities performed in knowledge of Him, which will ultimately lead to Bhakti. Philosophy without faith is speculation, and faith without philosophy is rituals. The two must complement each other. Thus, Krishna once again stresses that the ultimate goal of all transcendentalists is Him. They may reach Him directly by Bhakti or first reach Bhakti through Karma or Jnana.